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Chapter 24
Human Population,
Planetary Resources
and Conservation
Points to Ponder
• What does the human population growth look like in the
MDCs and the LDCs?
• What is the biotic potential and the carrying capacity?
• What are the renewable and nonrenewable resources that we
use?
• Explain how human activities impact water, food, minerals,
land and energy.
• What is biodiversity?
• What are the direct and indirect values of biodiversity?
• Explain how our current society in unsustainable?
• What are some ways we can increase rural and urban
sustainability?
• How is the quality of life assessed?
24.1 Human population growth
Human population growth
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~ 7 billion presently on the planet with ~ 78 million added per year
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Growth rate is determined by the number of births and deaths
each year
•
Human population is growing exponentially
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Biotic potential is the maximum growth rate under ideal conditions
that is usually limited by the environment
•
Carrying capacity is the leveling off of growth to a level that can
be sustained by the environment indefinitely
•
Some argue humans have already passed the carrying capacity
and others suggest the earth can carry 50-100 billion people
24.1 Human population growth
Human population growth
24.1 Human population growth
Comparing more and less developed
countries
•
MDCs have a low population increase averaging
~0.1% (US is ~0.6%)
•
LDCs are having a 1.6% growth rate but some
countries (most in Africa) are increasing at a much
higher rate
•
Even though the world’s growth rate has slowed
down the population will continue to increase
because more women are entering the
reproductive years than leaving them
24.1 Human population growth
Age structure in MDCs and LDCs
24.2 Human use of resources and pollution
Planetary resources
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Nonrenewable resources are limited in supply
–
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Renewable resources are able to be
replenished naturally
–
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Amount of land, fossil fuels and minerals
Water, plants and animals for food and solar energy
Pollution is a side effect of resource
consumption and increases as the population
increases
24.2 Human use of resources and pollution
Land
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Beaches
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40% of world’s population lives within 60 miles of a coastline
(> 50% are within 50 miles in the US)
This leads to beach erosion and habitat loss
The loss of wetlands is a problem because it is a buffer from
coastal storms and an important spawning areas for many marine
organisms
Semiarid lands
–
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Semi-arid lands are being converted to desert-like conditions
(desertification)
e.g. Overgrazing, removal of vegetation
Tropical rainforests
–
Deforestation can lead to infertile agricultural or grazing land as
well as loss of biodiversity
24.2 Human use of resources and pollution
Land
24.2 Human use of resources and pollution
Water
•
70% of freshwater worldwide is used for irrigation
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In MDCs more water is used for bathing, toilets and
watering lawns than for drinking and cooking
•
Dams change the flow of rivers, lose a lot of water and
can be filled in by sediment
•
Aquifers are being drained of water for our needs
•
Withdrawal of this groundwater can lead to sinkholes
and saltwater intrusion
24.2 Human use of resources and pollution
Water
24.2 Human use of resources and pollution
Food
•
Food comes from growing crops, raising animals and
fishing
Harmful farming methods
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Planting only a few genetic varieties
Heavy use of fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides
Excessive fuel consumption and irrigation
Current farming methods leads to soil loss,
degradation and salinization
There is some controversy over genetically engineered
crops
Raising livestock accounts for a lot of the pollution
associated with farming
Raising livestock is energy intensive
24.2 Human use of resources and pollution
Food
24.2 Human use of resources and pollution
Energy
•
Nonrenewable resources: fossil fuels (oil, natural gas,
coal)
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Burning of fossil fuels is harmful to the environment
US makes up 5% of world’s population but uses more than ½
the fossil fuel energy
The build up of greenhouse gases will lead to global warming
Renewable sources: hydropower, geothermal energy,
wind and solar energy
–
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Wind and solar energy are expected to become more common
Solar-hydrogen revolution suggests that solar energy will
replace fossil fuel energy
24.2 Human use of resources and pollution
Energy
24.2 Human use of resources and pollution
Minerals
•
Nonrenewable raw materials that are mined from the
Earth’s crust
•
Includes fossil fuels, nonmetallic (sand, phosphate) and
metallic raw materials (copper, iron)
•
Consumption of minerals contributes to hazardous wastes
•
Production of plastics, pesticide, herbicides produce a lot of
waste
•
CFC’s are damaging the ozone shield
•
Wastes entering bodies of water can be biologically
magnified
24.3 Biodiversity
Loss of biodiversity
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Biodiversity is the variety of life on the planet
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Loss of biodiversity:
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Habitat loss: coral reefs and rainforest are of particular
concern because they have high species diversity
Alien species: exotic species can become invasive species
that out compete native species
Pollution: results in acid deposition, global warming, ozone
depletion and synthetic organic compounds including
endocrine-disrupting contaminants
Overexploitation: occurs when humans extract enough
individuals from a wild population that it becomes seriously
reduced in numbers (exotic pets, hunting, fishing)
Disease: caused by human encroachment on wildlife habitats
24.3 Biodiversity
Loss of biodiversity
24.3 Biodiversity
Direct value of biodiversity
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Medicinal value
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Many drugs are derived from living organisms
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e.g. Rosy periwinkle and cancer, antibiotics
Agricultural value
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Food and fibers from agricultural crops
Biological pest controls
Wild pollinators
Consumptive value
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Most freshwater and marine harvests depend on wild caught
animals
Wild fruits and vegetables, fibers and honey
Trees are used for wood and other products
24.3 Biodiversity
Direct value of biodiversity
24.3 Biodiversity
Direct value of biodiversity
24.3 Biodiversity
Indirect value of biodiversity
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Waste disposal
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Decomposers breaking down organic matter and other wastes to
inorganic nutrients
Breaking down and immobilizing pollutants
Provision of freshwater
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Provides us with needed water for drinking and irrigation
Forests and other ecosystems exert a “sponge effect”
Prevention of soil erosion
Biogeochemical cycles
–
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Biodiversity within an ecosystem contributes to the biogeochemical
cycles
Regulation of climate
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Forests help regulate the climate by taking up CO2
Ecotourism
Existence value
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Knowing that a species exists gives it value
24.3 Biodiversity
Bioethical focus: cyanide fishing on
coral reefs
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Coral reefs hold biological abundance
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Estimated that 58% of coral reefs have been harmed
by human activities
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Coral reefs are being degraded by overfishing, divers,
boat damage, oil spills, nutrient pollution and climate
change
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Coral reefs supply aquarium fish and other organisms
with the US importing half of the marine organisms
–
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Buy marine animals that are captive bred
Do not buy fish that are caught through cyanide fishing
24.4 Working toward a sustainable society
Our unsustainable society
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Population growth in the LDCs is at a high rate
Consumption in the MDCs is at a high rate
Agriculture uses a lot of the land, water and fossil fuels
and produces pollution
Almost ½ of the agricultural yield feeds our farm animals
It takes about 10 lbs of grain to produce about 1 lb of
meat therefore the overeating of meat in the MDCs is
wasteful
Currently we mostly use nonrenewable forms of energy
leading to acid deposition, global warming and smog
As the human population grows we encroach on other
species that results in habitat loss and species extinction
24.4 Working toward a sustainable society
Unsustainable activities
24.4 Working toward a sustainable society
Rural sustainability
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Plant a variety of crops and trees
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Use farming techniques that promote healthy soil and decrease
destruction and pollution
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Use integrated pest management
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Preservation and restoration of wetlands
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Use recycling and composting
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Use renewable energy forms such as wind and biofuel
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Buy locally
24.4 Working toward a sustainable society
Urban sustainability
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Design energy efficient and mass transit transportation
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Cool and heat buildings using every efficient means
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Create “green roofs” and “greenbelts”
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Plant native grasses to attract butterflies and bees
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Recycle business equipment
24.4 Working toward a sustainable society
Assessing quality of life
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The GNP is a measure of money flow that does not take into
account whether activities are environmentally or socially harmful
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Measure that include noneconomic indicators is a better index of
quality of life
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Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare (ISEW)
The Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI)
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Humans do not like to sacrifice their comfort levels therefore we
continue to exploit our environment and its resources
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It takes an informed individual, creativity and desire to bring about
change for the better